Spring has sprung! The sun is shining, spreading its warmth all over my little city. It is about 72 degrees outside and the air smells fresh and clean.I can hardly hear the noise of the traffic on the busy street which is four blocks away and I am truly enjoying the serenity and almost silence of the day. I decided to walk up to the store, just a couple of blocks away, to get a few things for dinner and to enjoy the feel of concrete under my feet instead of the ice and snow of several weeks ago.
On the way back, my neighbor was out sitting on her porch enjoying the sunshine so I stopped to say hello and visit for awhile. It was good to see her home since she'd been in the hospital for about a week in ICU with double pneumonia. Pretty scary stuff for such a young woman of only 34! Even though she is still not 100%, some congestion still in one lung, she is on antibiotics and feeling much better. It was good to see her smiling and on the mend.
As I came around to the corner of my yard, I noticed a profusion of yellow flowers in the flower beds. There are multitudes of Jonquils/Daffodils growing. Many are in full bloom and others are still buds, waiting for another day before they spring forth into bloom. I was able to gather enough flowers, a good sized hand full, put them in a vase and set them here on the desk in my office. What a beautiful reminder that spring is here at last!
I love fresh flowers from the garden and from my own garden makes them all the more special. As many of you know from reading previous posts on my blog, I am not the world's best gardener. The things that I don't have to mess with seem to survive the best. The things that require watering I think I "over love" because my vegetable garden last year, I tended to and it died.
Now I am going to grab a fresh cup of coffee, go out and sit on the bench on my front porch and soak up some of this gorgeous sunshine. Live is good!
Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gardening. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Monday, June 7, 2010
Sundays Country Cottage blog
Summer has arrived I guess!
It was hot hot hot here in "Okie" land today! The last I heard, it did make it to 100 in some cities and it made it to 97 here where I live. It was a good day to stay inside, laze around and eat ice cream.
I had visions of getting out early this morning and working on the backyard but that went out the window real quick!
I have some weeds that I swear are growing into small trees! I'm going to need a hatchet to chop them down rather than pruning scissors if I don't get out there and get them cut back. As it is, there is no way the electric lawnmower is going to chop them down.
My tomatoes look like they are doing great, they didn't wilt at all today in this heat. I thought for sure they would be but they appear to have done just fine. Since we only have a slight chance of rain tomorrow night, I am going to go out and give them some water in the morning. No sign yet of any potatoes trying to break ground, I am anxious for those to sprout.
Oh oh, I just thought of some seeds I forgot to get. Watermelons and I am sure it is too late to try and plant any of those. I guess I need to go check out some gardening websites and see.
I went out after it cooled off some (to a whopping 90) and since rain was taken out of our forecast for tonight, I went ahead and watered the garden an my new lilac bush. I even attempted to pull some of those tall weeds, to no avail. I tried cutting the stems with scissors, that didn't work either! So I guess it is going to take something more drastic to get them out of there. I did manage to get up some of the dried up burr weeds. Should have thought twice about pulling them with bare hands because now I have some of the stickers in my hands.
It looks like we are in for another hot day tomorrow and like it or not, I do have to go to the tag agency and get the tags for my car. Thank goodness there is a/c in the car and I am sure I'll end up having to use it. Get out early and scoot home and take it easy the rest of the day until the sun goes down.
It was hot hot hot here in "Okie" land today! The last I heard, it did make it to 100 in some cities and it made it to 97 here where I live. It was a good day to stay inside, laze around and eat ice cream.
I had visions of getting out early this morning and working on the backyard but that went out the window real quick!
I have some weeds that I swear are growing into small trees! I'm going to need a hatchet to chop them down rather than pruning scissors if I don't get out there and get them cut back. As it is, there is no way the electric lawnmower is going to chop them down.
My tomatoes look like they are doing great, they didn't wilt at all today in this heat. I thought for sure they would be but they appear to have done just fine. Since we only have a slight chance of rain tomorrow night, I am going to go out and give them some water in the morning. No sign yet of any potatoes trying to break ground, I am anxious for those to sprout.
Oh oh, I just thought of some seeds I forgot to get. Watermelons and I am sure it is too late to try and plant any of those. I guess I need to go check out some gardening websites and see.
I went out after it cooled off some (to a whopping 90) and since rain was taken out of our forecast for tonight, I went ahead and watered the garden an my new lilac bush. I even attempted to pull some of those tall weeds, to no avail. I tried cutting the stems with scissors, that didn't work either! So I guess it is going to take something more drastic to get them out of there. I did manage to get up some of the dried up burr weeds. Should have thought twice about pulling them with bare hands because now I have some of the stickers in my hands.
It looks like we are in for another hot day tomorrow and like it or not, I do have to go to the tag agency and get the tags for my car. Thank goodness there is a/c in the car and I am sure I'll end up having to use it. Get out early and scoot home and take it easy the rest of the day until the sun goes down.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Trip to Farmers Market
A beautiful sunny Saturday and a great way to get out of the house for awhile and go exploring. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, Norman has the Farmers Market up at the County Fairgrounds. The problem is it is only open until noon on Wednesdays and till 12:30 on Saturdays. If I work late at night, it leaves me little time to get up there. I was bound and determined I was going to get there today because I needed some tomato starts before it gets too late to start planting them. I managed to get there about noon and wandered through just a few of the booths. Some were set up outside in the parking lot and then there is a huge building filled with vendors. I parked the car up by the livestock barn and walked to the market area. As I did, I heard the loudspeaker from the barn saying "one of the things I look at when ..........." Oh dear, keep walking! I know that I am a sucker when it comes to animals, no matter what kind they are. I was on a mission and the vegetables came first!
Many of the vendors outside had vegetables from different states and some from outside of the United States. I wanted to find locally grown products so I kept searching. It didn't take me long, just inside the building and the first booth to the left was a local vendor with a table filled with a nice assortment of beautiful plants. Being the first time gardener that I am, I asked for some advice not only on the actual planting but which varieties to purchase. Next week, I will probably be going back and grab some of their patio tomatoes as well.
They also had a lilac bush and since it was close to closing time, they not only discounted my tomato plants but the lilac bush as well. She said that the lilac plant was already two years old and should produce some blooms later on for me this year. I am so anxious to see some beautiful fragrant lilacs growing in my yard.
After putting my purchases into my car, of course I had to go check out what was going on in the livestock barn. They were having a goat show! Since I've been reading up on goats, what a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal with some. I got a chance to visit with some of the gals that were showing their goats. It was lunch time for the kids and it was fun to watch, the nannies so patient with their babies, as they nursed. I swear, they were fast little critters, took them no time at all to totally empty mama out!
I came home and got some more of the weeds pulled and the ground raked so that I could start turning some earth. I guess there are some advantages to having a yard full of weeds, underneath there isn't any grass! So I was able to get my beautiful lilac and tomatoes planted with ease.
My little climbing rose bush out front had a profusion of red/pink/white peppermint blooms this year. I was so afraid that when the workmen were here earlier this year and they helped me clear all the ivy out of the flower beds around the front of the house, that they had killed the rose bush because someone cut it way way back. Of all the things that I've planted, that has done so well. I did transplant some jonquils a couple of years ago into the front beds but the ivy overtook them and it wasn't until all the ivy was removed that they began to flourish. I do need some other plants in there since those jonquils only bloom for such a short period of time and the beds look naked!
Think I'll head to bed and have dreams of beautiful fragrant lilac blossoms and fresh red tomatoes!
Many of the vendors outside had vegetables from different states and some from outside of the United States. I wanted to find locally grown products so I kept searching. It didn't take me long, just inside the building and the first booth to the left was a local vendor with a table filled with a nice assortment of beautiful plants. Being the first time gardener that I am, I asked for some advice not only on the actual planting but which varieties to purchase. Next week, I will probably be going back and grab some of their patio tomatoes as well.
They also had a lilac bush and since it was close to closing time, they not only discounted my tomato plants but the lilac bush as well. She said that the lilac plant was already two years old and should produce some blooms later on for me this year. I am so anxious to see some beautiful fragrant lilacs growing in my yard.
After putting my purchases into my car, of course I had to go check out what was going on in the livestock barn. They were having a goat show! Since I've been reading up on goats, what a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal with some. I got a chance to visit with some of the gals that were showing their goats. It was lunch time for the kids and it was fun to watch, the nannies so patient with their babies, as they nursed. I swear, they were fast little critters, took them no time at all to totally empty mama out!
I came home and got some more of the weeds pulled and the ground raked so that I could start turning some earth. I guess there are some advantages to having a yard full of weeds, underneath there isn't any grass! So I was able to get my beautiful lilac and tomatoes planted with ease.
My little climbing rose bush out front had a profusion of red/pink/white peppermint blooms this year. I was so afraid that when the workmen were here earlier this year and they helped me clear all the ivy out of the flower beds around the front of the house, that they had killed the rose bush because someone cut it way way back. Of all the things that I've planted, that has done so well. I did transplant some jonquils a couple of years ago into the front beds but the ivy overtook them and it wasn't until all the ivy was removed that they began to flourish. I do need some other plants in there since those jonquils only bloom for such a short period of time and the beds look naked!
Think I'll head to bed and have dreams of beautiful fragrant lilac blossoms and fresh red tomatoes!
Monday, May 17, 2010
Weeds, Weeds Everywhere Weeds!
Oh boy, do I have a problem! These recent rains have created an abundance of growth of nothing but weeds in my back yard! I don't see this many weeds in any of my neighbors yards..... I think they all decided to grow in mine.
I went out and started pulling them by hand. Now mind you, I have a large corner back yard so I'm looking at probably 1/4th to 1/2 an acre of land back there! Once I began this chore, I came to a horrible conclusion. By the time I get all the weeds pulled, I am going to have nothing but big patches of bare dirt back there. That's a good thing in some respects because I want to add more garden space and some pretty wild flower areas, paths, but little did I know that Mother Nature was going to help me along the way so well!
I hate pesticides with all their chemicals so I guess I am going to renting a rototiller and just plow up the entire yard and start with a clean slate.
Guess it is time to go browse through some books with gardening ideas. I've been wanting to turn my yard into a nice cottage garden retreat and now it looks like I'm going to get the chance to do so all at once.
I love P. Allen Smith's gardening techniques so I better be looking at some of his gardening books as well. I like this one about container gardens, that way I can move things around and follow the sun and bring them inside in the winter and put them under grow lights if necessary.
Time to go get those fingers dirty again!
I went out and started pulling them by hand. Now mind you, I have a large corner back yard so I'm looking at probably 1/4th to 1/2 an acre of land back there! Once I began this chore, I came to a horrible conclusion. By the time I get all the weeds pulled, I am going to have nothing but big patches of bare dirt back there. That's a good thing in some respects because I want to add more garden space and some pretty wild flower areas, paths, but little did I know that Mother Nature was going to help me along the way so well!
I hate pesticides with all their chemicals so I guess I am going to renting a rototiller and just plow up the entire yard and start with a clean slate.
Guess it is time to go browse through some books with gardening ideas. I've been wanting to turn my yard into a nice cottage garden retreat and now it looks like I'm going to get the chance to do so all at once.
I love P. Allen Smith's gardening techniques so I better be looking at some of his gardening books as well. I like this one about container gardens, that way I can move things around and follow the sun and bring them inside in the winter and put them under grow lights if necessary.
Time to go get those fingers dirty again!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Spring Is In The Air!
Finally, we are getting some beautiful weather and I am finally able to get out into the yard and putter around! It has felt so good to be able to open up the house, the windows wide and let the curtains blow in the breeze!
I finally was able to get outside and start on some yard work. I went ahead and began with the backyard because the grass was getting way out of control back there. I still need to go ahead and do all the timing around the edges of the yard and then it will really look nice.
I notice the bird feeder that stands on a pole in the middle of a small flowerbed in the middle of the yard is looking a might tacky! Guess it is time to add a coat of paint to it. I don't think the birds will notice that I've spruced it up for them but I am sure the neighbors might.
The bell peppers have been planted last week and this Thursday the plan is to get the jalapeno peppers out there also.
I still need to buy some tomato plant starters so that we can have some fresh tomatoes soon.
I hope it isn't too late to get the onions and potatoes out. I totally forgot about getting those started! Can you tell I am a first year gardener? I figure heck, throw it in the ground and it'll grow, no matter when you plant it. Somehow I don't think that is right!
It still needs to warm up a little bit more before I pull out the paint brush and give the patio a coat of paint. Now that is where my expertise lies.... give me a paint brush, a hammer and some nails and wood and I am happy! I have a feeling I need one of these books really badly! and of course one of these! I've heard everyone lives by the Farmer's Almanac
I finally was able to get outside and start on some yard work. I went ahead and began with the backyard because the grass was getting way out of control back there. I still need to go ahead and do all the timing around the edges of the yard and then it will really look nice.
I notice the bird feeder that stands on a pole in the middle of a small flowerbed in the middle of the yard is looking a might tacky! Guess it is time to add a coat of paint to it. I don't think the birds will notice that I've spruced it up for them but I am sure the neighbors might.
The bell peppers have been planted last week and this Thursday the plan is to get the jalapeno peppers out there also.
I still need to buy some tomato plant starters so that we can have some fresh tomatoes soon.
I hope it isn't too late to get the onions and potatoes out. I totally forgot about getting those started! Can you tell I am a first year gardener? I figure heck, throw it in the ground and it'll grow, no matter when you plant it. Somehow I don't think that is right!
It still needs to warm up a little bit more before I pull out the paint brush and give the patio a coat of paint. Now that is where my expertise lies.... give me a paint brush, a hammer and some nails and wood and I am happy! I have a feeling I need one of these books really badly! and of course one of these! I've heard everyone lives by the Farmer's Almanac
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Spring Is In The Air
I just looked at the weather report, we are to have 60ish weather for the next 10 days! I think Spring has finally sprung! This means I can get outside and start turning up the dirt and get some of my outside planting started. I am so excited! I can hardly wait to see some beautiful color out there in my yard.
The garden has been drawn on paper and now it can actually become a reality.
I have so many outside projects that I am yearning to get started on. There's painting to be done and getting the patio set up for outside entertaining.
I don't know about you but I am ready to open up the windows and let the fresh air blow throughout my house!
The garden has been drawn on paper and now it can actually become a reality.
I have so many outside projects that I am yearning to get started on. There's painting to be done and getting the patio set up for outside entertaining.
I don't know about you but I am ready to open up the windows and let the fresh air blow throughout my house!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
We Got Sprouts!
I'm so excited! We've got sprouts!
Our herb garden is actually growing, inside, in a salad bowl.... now how inventive is that?
We have dill, sage and cilantro coming up! Now I have to admit, we are encouraging them some. We have a light that emulates sunshine in a hanging lamp that is close to them and they are tipping their little tops towards the light so we have to continually rotate the bowl.
The bell peppers on the window ledge haven't decided to poke their heads through the soil yet, but I guess it is still a little early for them to be sprouting.
I was plowing through some things today and came across some seed packets that I am going to at least try to grow. The expiration date on the packages are over a year old, so we will see what happens. There are packets of Forget Me Nots, Asters, Pumpkins and Sunflowers. At least they were purchased at the local dollar store so if they don't produce no big investment lost. I can easily go out and replace them.
My goal this year is to put in a really nice vegetable and herb garden as well as at least get the beginnings of a nice cottage garden growing. There needs to be lots of pretty flowers out there instead of nothing but grass! This is a large corner lot and has way to much grass to be mowed!
Our herb garden is actually growing, inside, in a salad bowl.... now how inventive is that?
We have dill, sage and cilantro coming up! Now I have to admit, we are encouraging them some. We have a light that emulates sunshine in a hanging lamp that is close to them and they are tipping their little tops towards the light so we have to continually rotate the bowl.
The bell peppers on the window ledge haven't decided to poke their heads through the soil yet, but I guess it is still a little early for them to be sprouting.
I was plowing through some things today and came across some seed packets that I am going to at least try to grow. The expiration date on the packages are over a year old, so we will see what happens. There are packets of Forget Me Nots, Asters, Pumpkins and Sunflowers. At least they were purchased at the local dollar store so if they don't produce no big investment lost. I can easily go out and replace them.
My goal this year is to put in a really nice vegetable and herb garden as well as at least get the beginnings of a nice cottage garden growing. There needs to be lots of pretty flowers out there instead of nothing but grass! This is a large corner lot and has way to much grass to be mowed!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Snow, Snow and More Snow!
I can't believe it! More snow is predicted for Thursday and Friday of this week and then the weatherman says very casually, hold onto your hats folks, if weather patterns don't change we will have snow all next week as well!
I don't know about any of you, but I am so anxious for spring I can't stand it. I want warmth and sunshine! I am one of these creatures that can handle heat much better than I can handle the cold! Never thought I'd say it, but I think I can actually handle the spring threats of tornado warnings better than all this snow and ice! Of course I am also one of those "chickens" that has an underground tornado shelter to run to!
I am so anxious to get outside and till up the ground and get my garden growing and get out the paint brush and do the painting that needs to be done on the enclosure to the patio. I want to be able to go outside and grill a burger and mow the grass!
Come on Spring!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Where Art Thou Spring?
My poor little jonquils have had their leaves poking up out of the ground for weeks now and they just continue to get iced and snowed on!I am wondering if they have been killed off by all of this or if I will be blessed with their pretty yellow flowers here in a few more weeks.
We are so anxious for spring around here it isn't funny. I am so tired of gloomy gray skies,snow and rain. We actually bit the bullet the other day and began our seedling plantings indoors. We have rows and rows of herbs as well as bell peppers in little yogurt cups sitting on the window ledge in the kitchen. So far I guess the cats have decide that window is now off limits as no one has attempted to jump up there and into the middle of them all sending seeds and cups scattering all over the floor.
We will be planting some additional produce seeds here this week.Potatoes and radishes will be planted this week I think. Most likely we will have to start them indoors also, since it looks like there is still at least one more round of snow headed towards Oklahoma.Tips for Creating An Aromatic Herb Garden
Once it warms up, we will be planting in some regular flowerbeds and then hope to also do some one foot gardening as well as some in pots.Western Garden Book of Edibles: The Complete A-Z Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits
Ya'll need to let me know what you are planting and let me know what is happening with your gardens.
We are so anxious for spring around here it isn't funny. I am so tired of gloomy gray skies,snow and rain. We actually bit the bullet the other day and began our seedling plantings indoors. We have rows and rows of herbs as well as bell peppers in little yogurt cups sitting on the window ledge in the kitchen. So far I guess the cats have decide that window is now off limits as no one has attempted to jump up there and into the middle of them all sending seeds and cups scattering all over the floor.
We will be planting some additional produce seeds here this week.Potatoes and radishes will be planted this week I think. Most likely we will have to start them indoors also, since it looks like there is still at least one more round of snow headed towards Oklahoma.Tips for Creating An Aromatic Herb Garden
Once it warms up, we will be planting in some regular flowerbeds and then hope to also do some one foot gardening as well as some in pots.Western Garden Book of Edibles: The Complete A-Z Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits
Ya'll need to let me know what you are planting and let me know what is happening with your gardens.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Down and Dirty
You like that title? Well, we are gonna get down and dirty today because it is about time to think about planting a garden. If not in the ground, at least in either raised beds or containers, but it is that time of year! With today's economy being what it is and the price of groceries and other goods on the increase, in my humble opinion we need to be putting in a backyard garden to help defray some of those costs.
Nothing tastes so good as a sun warmed ripe tomato fresh from the garden, just washed, cut open and sprinkled with a little salt! Or the crisp click of green beans being snapped and put into a pot of boiling water! Or how about that juicy homegrown watermelon or honeydew/muskmelon that you have watched emerge from a seed to become this beautiful vegetable or fruit? Or the joy of going out and plucking some mint leaves for your ice tea or basil or rosemary to go into that salad or to flavor the meal you are going to put on the table.
I personally love potatoes and sweet potatoes so I will be adding those to my list of things I want in my garden. I can make an entire meal out of a potato or a sweet potato!
Start thinking now about all the wonderful fruits and vegetables that you can grow in your area and in your back yard. Get the ground prepared and augmented with some good compost and ready to dirty those knees and hands and plant that garden.
You really don't need a lot of room. There are now hanging planters where you can grow strawberries and tomatoes upside down. You can plant potatoes in a bale of straw or even a circle made out of chicken wire and layered with straw and dirt inside it. or even an old feed bag if you are so inclined.
You can do raised beds and grow anything that you want which is great for older folks who might not be able to bend all the way down to ground level.
I will be posting some links to help you with ideas of different types of gardening that you might like to try as well as some companies that offer good heirloom seeds that will produce good old fashioned food!
Nothing tastes so good as a sun warmed ripe tomato fresh from the garden, just washed, cut open and sprinkled with a little salt! Or the crisp click of green beans being snapped and put into a pot of boiling water! Or how about that juicy homegrown watermelon or honeydew/muskmelon that you have watched emerge from a seed to become this beautiful vegetable or fruit? Or the joy of going out and plucking some mint leaves for your ice tea or basil or rosemary to go into that salad or to flavor the meal you are going to put on the table.
I personally love potatoes and sweet potatoes so I will be adding those to my list of things I want in my garden. I can make an entire meal out of a potato or a sweet potato!
Start thinking now about all the wonderful fruits and vegetables that you can grow in your area and in your back yard. Get the ground prepared and augmented with some good compost and ready to dirty those knees and hands and plant that garden.
You really don't need a lot of room. There are now hanging planters where you can grow strawberries and tomatoes upside down. You can plant potatoes in a bale of straw or even a circle made out of chicken wire and layered with straw and dirt inside it. or even an old feed bag if you are so inclined.
You can do raised beds and grow anything that you want which is great for older folks who might not be able to bend all the way down to ground level.
I will be posting some links to help you with ideas of different types of gardening that you might like to try as well as some companies that offer good heirloom seeds that will produce good old fashioned food!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Kay's Country Cottage
WELCOME TO KAY'S COUNTRY COTTAGEFirst of all I would like to thank the House Plan Shop for giving me permission to use this house plan as a logo on my website. I love to look at different house plans and fell in love with this one! It seems no matter how many I look at, I always end up coming back to this one as my "dream home." So hopefully, someday, I will be able to have "my dream home" built. You may visit their website by clicking here.
Are you anxious to try some new recipes? Are you trying to get your home and your life organized ? Do you have parenting questions? Thinking about adding a garden this year and not sure what all to plant or how much to plant?
Perhaps you have been thinking about taking up a new hobby or craft, such as knitting, painting, crochet, or genealogy research, but were not sure where to start to find out information about it. Well, you have come to the right place. We can share ideas together on some or all of these topic or other topics as they come up.
I want to make this an interactive blog where we can learn and grow from each others experience and training. I am looking forward to hearing from those who wish to participate.
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